


Little Birds and Ashes

by write_in_ice



Series: Daddy Sandor [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, Daddy!Sandor, F/M, Fire, Marriage, Pregnancy, Protection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-22
Updated: 2012-05-22
Packaged: 2017-11-05 20:06:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/410484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/write_in_ice/pseuds/write_in_ice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sandor watches his daughter play but in a moment of distraction everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Birds and Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> Another short Daddy!Sandor
> 
> Comments are appreciated. Suggestions are loved. Requests are exceptional.

He watched as his daughter scurried around the great hall, dragging an old stuffed dog behind her. It wasn’t so long ago that she was a bundle in her mother’s arms and less time since she discovered the castle floors on four legs instead of two. Now she ran with ease, giggling as she played, calling out to her mother to watch her. Her shouts had become more frequent as of late. Sansa was a dutiful mother but she had more on her mind now and the child was bewildered by her mother’s scattered thoughts. Sandor glanced down at his wife’s belly and he couldn’t help but smile. The curve was beginning to show now. The first time had been hard and he knew she had feared the gods would only give her one, but they were smiling on her now. Them, he realized. The gods were smiling on them. Sansa rested her hand on the swell of her stomach and looked up, as if she knew he was watching. She found him easily enough, leaning against the archway with his arms folded. A man once told him that there was nothing sweeter than what was between a woman’s legs, but some days Sandor believed a smile was just as precious. This was one. Heat coloured his neck as she smiled shyly. She had no purpose, no game. It was just a simple smile meant for him and no one else. She held his gaze, telling him she was alright but in an instant calm turned to fear as her eyes found their daughter.

“No, my dove!” She cried and Sandor whipped his head around. His heart dropped as the little girl reached for the steaming hot brazier. The fire reflected on her fair skin. A smile still graced her lips as she dropped her doll and looked into the flames. Sweat dotted Sandor’s forehead as fear took hold. His own mutilation flashed before his eyes and he wanted to run, flee, as he had done once before. Instead, he leapt forward as fast as he could, throwing himself between his daughter and the white hot coals. He pushed her to the ground but he didn’t care. His back hit the hot iron brazier, searing into he flesh as sending sparks and ash into the air, and wood and fire scattering across the ground. Burning embers dotted his chest as he struggled to his knees and he grimaced. Hot marks of red had already blistered on his hands and back, but the girl was unharmed.  Sansa had reached them by then. Her arms were wrapped protectively around their little girl, pulling her to her chest. The child’s eyes were wide as they stared up at her father, who was cursing and growling on the ground. His chest heaved and anger pulsed through him. How could he be so stupid? She could have been hurt. What would he have done if the fire had touched her skin?

He looked at her, his eyes red. “Never touch it!” He growled so loudly his voice echoed through the hall. His teeth clenched and his fingers dug at the stone floor as the pain flashes acrossed his back.Tears welled in the girl’s eyes as she looked up at him and his heart broke. She was too young to know what she was doing and now he had frightened her. The sweet girl would never trust him. She would never...

But the girl touched his arm where the ash had landed and the tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, little bird.” He said, his voice quiet, but she didn’t hear him. Instead, her face twisted and she let out a growl as she picked up her favourite toy. She swung the stuffed animal like a battle axe, slicing at the shattered brazier. Sandor couldn’t help but smile as he pulled her close. “What are you doing, little bird?” He asked putting his hand on her trembling shoulder.

“Fight.” She said crossing her arms as he had done earlier.

“Why, sweetling?”

“It hurt you.” She said stomping her foot. “It hurt you poppa.”

He cleared his throat but it did not good. It was still hoarse and thick. “It will hurt you too, little bird. Better me than you. You must promise me, you will not play with fire” She nodded but the quizzical look never left her face.

“Why poppa? Why better you?”

He smiled. “Because I love you and it’s my duty to keep you safe.”

She tilted her head and wrinkled her nose. “I love you. I should keep you safe,” She retorted, kissing his burned face and taking his hand. She was beautiful and good like her mother but there was part of him in her too and Sandor stared at the little girl in awe and wonderment until Sansa’s laughter made him turn. “We will keep each other safe,” his wife suggested as she offered him a hand. Their daughter seemed to be satisfied with her mother’s answer and clung to Sansa’s skirts as her father staggered to his feet. His back ached from the hot steel and he rested his arm on his wife’s shoulder. For a few moments she wore his weight without hesitation. She rubbed his shoulders and eased him into a chair before calling for a maester. She was stronger than he would ever be. Both of them were. Maybe they would protect him and that thought made him smile.


End file.
